Cercis plant named ‘JN16’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Cercis  plant named ‘JN16’, characterized by its compact plant habit with relatively short internodes; deep purple-colored leaves; good garden performance with good leaf color retention during the summer.

Botanical designation: Cercis canadensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘JN16’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Cercis plant, botanically known as Cercis canadensis, commercially referred to as Eastern Redbud and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘JN16’.

The new Cercis plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Belvidere, Tenn. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Cercis plants with purple-colored leaves that retain their color throughout the summer.

The new Cercis plant originated from a cross-pollination in May, 2012 in Belvidere, Tenn. of Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,097, as the female, or seed, parent with Cercis canadensis ‘JN2’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,451, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Cercis plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled nursery environment in Belvidere, Tenn. in May, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Cercis plant by chip budding onto proprietary seedling Cercis rootstock in a controlled environment in Belvidere, Tenn. since August, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Cercis plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Cercis have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘JN16’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘JN16’ as a new and distinct Cercis plant:

-   -   1. Compact plant habit with relatively short internodes.     -   2. Deep purple-colored leaves.     -   3. Good garden performance with good leaf color retention during         the summer.

Plants of the new Cercis can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Ruby Falls’. Plants of the new Cercis differ from plants of ‘Ruby Falls’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cercis are more compact than and not as         pendulous as plants of ‘Ruby Falls’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Cercis maintain their deep purple         color during the summer whereas leaves of plants of ‘Ruby Falls’         fade to a dull green color during the summer.

Plants of the new Cercis can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘JN2’. Plants of the new Cercis differ from plants of ‘JN2’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cercis are more compact than plants of         ‘JN2’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Cercis maintain their deep purple         color during the summer whereas leaves of plants of ‘JN2’ fade         to a pale green color during the summer.

Plants of the new Cercis can be compared to plants of Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Cercis differed primarily from plants of ‘Forest Pansy’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cercis were more compact, had shorter         internodes and were denser than plants of ‘Forest Pansy’.     -   2. Plants of the new Cercis and ‘Forest Pansy’ differed in leaf         color as plants of ‘Forest Pansy’ had lighter purple-colored         leaves.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Cercis maintain their deep purple         color during the summer whereas leaves of plants of ‘Forest         Pansy’ are lighter purple in color during the summer.

Plants of the new Cercis can also be compared to plants of Cercis canadensis ‘JN7’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,701. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Cercis differed primarily from plants of ‘JN7’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cercis were more compact than and not as         upright as than plants of ‘JN7’.     -   2. Plants of the new Cercis and ‘JN7’ differed in leaf color as         plants of ‘JN7’ had green-colored leaves.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Cercis were glossier than plants         of ‘JN7’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Cercis plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Cercis plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical tree of ‘JN16’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe trees grown during the spring, summer and autumn in 15-gallon containers in an outdoor nursery in Belvidere, Tenn. and Park Hill, Okla. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Cercis production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 9.3° C. to 30.6° C. and night temperatures ranged from −1.9° C. to 18.8° C. Plants were four years old when the photograph and description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Cercis canadensis ‘JN16’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,097.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Cercis canadensis ‘JN2’, disclosed             in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,451. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By chip budding onto proprietary seedling Cercis             rootstock.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Deciduous tree; compact plant habit;             overall shape, broad oval; moderately vigorous growth habit;             moderate growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 11 to 15             primary branches each with about 8 to 11 secondary branches.         -   Plant height.—About 1.9 meters.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 1.5 meters. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—Variable depending on position on the tree, average,             about 70 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 8 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 4.4 cm.         -   Aspect.—Moderately upswept, about 45° from vertical.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong, firm.         -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy.         -   Color.—Developing, close to 202A; at the internodes, close             to N200A; developed, close to N200A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single.         -   Length.—About 14.9 cm.         -   Width.—About 13.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Reniform.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N186A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N79B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N77A; venation,             close to 132A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138B and 59C; venation, close to 59A. Autumn leaf color,             upper surface: Close to 151C. Autumn leaf color, lower             surface: Close to 144C tinged with close to 161B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color, upper             surface: Close to 202A. Color, lower surface: Close to 187B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single             papilionaceous flowers arranged in terminal and axillary             racemes with about seven flowers per raceme; freely             flowering habit with about 8,000 flowers developing during             the flowering season; flowers face mostly upright.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Cercis flower in             the mid-spring in Oklahoma; flowers last about ten days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Flower height.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: Close to 202A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Typically five petals in a single whorl             with upper three petals forming a banner (or standard) petal             and lower petals forming a keel. Length, banner: About 6 mm.             Length, keel: About 2.5 mm. Width, banner: About 2 mm.             Width, keel: About 1 mm. Shape, all petals: Roughly ovoid.             Apex, all petals: Rounded. Base, all petals: Rounded.             Margin, all petals: Entire. Texture and luster, all petals:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, all petals: When opening,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to N78B. Fully opened, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to N74B; color does not change             with development.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Typically five sepals in a single             whorl; calyx roughly ovoid in shape. Length: About 4 mm.             Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute to rounded.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 60B. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 60D.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Aspect: About 30° from the stem axis. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color:             Close to 71B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About ten             per flower. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color:             Close to 69D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About             0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 18C. Amount of pollen:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 161B. Gynoecium: Pistil             number: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style             length: About 7.5 mm. Style color: Close to 71C. Stigma             diameter: About 0.5 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color:             Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to 137B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Cercis to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Cercis have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about −23.3° C. to about 37.7° C. and to     be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Cercis have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Cercis     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Cercis plant named ‘JN16’ as illustrated and described. 